Name: Sarah Fern
From: Golden , Colorado
Grade: 11
School: Compass Montessori Secondary School
Votes: 0 
On
New Year’s Eve of 2018, I was in a minor car accident while driving
home from hanging out with friends. I was getting on a major highway
from a loopy on-ramp when I hit a patch of ice, I swerved left and
right then slammed straight into the railing. I live in Colorado
where it is often icy and snowy and luckily I was taught how to
safely drive in these conditions and what to do if something
happened. Unfortunately, not everyone has the education on driving in
snowy and icy weather and people get in much worse accidents than I
did. Providing education on how to drive in severe weather conditions
is important for everyone to know, no matter what climate they live
in.
Every year, almost 900 people die in car crashes while
driving in the snow/ sleet, that number could vastly be reduced if
education was provided to all drivers on how to handle this weather.
Even providing basic courses on what to do if the car starts sliding
and the car loses traction could save so many people from getting in
accidents.
Not only is driving in snowy and icy weather
conditions dangerous for drivers and passengers, but it is also
dangerous for unsuspecting pedestrians. All in all the roads could be
significantly safer if drivers are taught how to drive in snowy/ icy
conditions. This knowledge would save hundreds of lives every year
and make the roads better place to be.
Teenage drivers are
already more likely to get in accidents and when the weather worsens
that likelihood increases. Due to inexperience and lack of knowledge
teen drivers are more susceptible to accidents in bad weather and
poor driving conditions. While the only thing that can help teens
with inexperience is driving more they can be educated on what to do
when the weather is bad. Not only is it important to know what to do
if the car slides, but it’s also important to know how to prevent
the car from sliding in the first place.
